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EDITORIAL: Judging disgraced judge

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Disgraced Family Court Judge Steven Jones has some serious chutzpah. He has tried every legal maneuver imaginable to delay his hearing next week before the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which is looking into his romantic relationship with a prosecutor who appeared before him.

But his latest Hail Mary appeal, rejected Nov. 22 by the Nevada Supreme Court, was a doozy. In it, Jones essentially argued that because he has succeeded in delaying the hearing for so long, going forward with the case Dec. 2 will hurt his chances of winning re-election. Judges file official candidacy papers in January for the 2014 ballot, you see, and if the commission strips Jones of his robe and bars him from the bench, he won’t be able to resolve an appeal of that action before the election filing period closes.

“If the commission wrongfully continues to proceed with the hearing, the commission would have the ability to bar Judge Jones from running for re-election,” Jones attorney James Jimmerson wrote in the appeal.

Such audacity shames the man who kills his parents and begs for mercy because he’s an orphan. Did we mention that Jones has been suspended from the bench because a federal indictment last year charged him with playing a key role in a decade-long, $3 million investment fraud scheme? How comforting that a suspended judge is free to seek re-election.

Jones’ hearing must go forward. And if the commission won’t bring down the hammer on him, voters certainly should next November.

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